


What If... (2)

by DPPatricks



Category: Starsky & Hutch
Genre: Angst, Comfort, Gen, post SR, relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-13
Updated: 2019-10-13
Packaged: 2020-12-14 17:49:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21019787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DPPatricks/pseuds/DPPatricks
Summary: A post Sweet Revenge conversation.





	What If... (2)

**Author's Note:**

> Un-beta'd and not even very well proof-read, this ficlet poured into my laptop during the half hour after I read Nancy's prompt today, "What If...", on the Starsky & Hutch Bromance FaceBook page. Thanks, Nancy!

Starsky slumped onto the couch at Venice Place. “What if I can’t make reinstatement, Hutch?”

“We’ve talked about this, Starsk.”

Starsky couldn’t let it go. “I know but, what if…?”

Hutch sat on the coffee table, their knees touching. “Bad day at P.T., huh?”

“Pretty awful.”

“What happened? Why didn’t you call me?”

“Knew you were busy. Didn’t want to worry you.”

“That’s bullshit and you know it! I thought we agreed that, if you were hurting at the end of a session, you’d call and I’d pick you up.”

“I know…”

“But?”

“But…” Starsky couldn’t completely swallow a sigh. “I guess I was wallowing a little in self-pity.”

“Talk to me, buddy.”

“I was thinking, all the way home on the bus, what if the docs, the shrinks, the commissioners don’t think I can hack it any more?”

“Starsk… look at me.” Hutch took his hand and Starsky did look up. “Your doctor’s happy with your progress, your therapists are happy, and the commissioners can suck eggs for all I care!”

Starsky felt his face split into the first smile of the day. “Really?”

“Really. And Dobey’ll be in your corner. If you’re physically and mentally ready, he’ll make sure those commissioners won’t say a word.”

“Yeah, maybe he would.”

“Count on it.” Hutch kept hold of his hand and moved over next to him on the couch. “Now… what happened today?”

“Well… Marjorie says my stamina’s getting better but she’s not sure I’ll ever be able to pass the physical.”

“She doesn’t know you, Starsk. She has no idea how determined you can be when you set your mind to something. I think the real question here is, do you _want_ to re-quality?”

Starsky knew he took too long to answer. “I think so.”

“Not good enough. You have to _know_ so!” Hutch let go of his hand and sat back. “What are you really worried about?”

Starsky didn’t want to discuss his demons but Hutch deserved to know. “Gunther’s goons did a number on my mind, partner.”

“I’m aware of that.”

Starsky leaned back and laced his fingers in his lap. “Did you know that I still shake when I’m talkin’ about it with the shrink?”

“No. I didn’t…. But, will it help to know that I do, too?”

Starsky cast a skeptical look toward Hutch. “Doc Mercer hasn’t said anything.”

“I’m not seeing Doctor Mercer. Every time you have an appointment with her, I’m one floor down in Dr. Felson’s office.”

“Hutch…”

“Gunther’s goons did a number on me, too, pal.”

“Oh….” Starsky was suddenly aware of how self-centered he’d been since the shooting. “I shoulda realized that, shouldn’t I?”

“No, Starsk. There was no reason for you to --”

“I shoulda _known!_” 

“You’ve been a tiny bit pre-occupied.”

“Okay, right, I probably have but…” Starsky felt as if the proverbial light bulb had been lit over his head. “Wait! I just thought of something. I’ve been so focused on my situation, I never even considered yours. What about you, Hutch? What do _you_ want? You seemed kinda burned out before all this happened. Do you even want me to try for re-qualification?”

“This isn’t about me, Starsk.”

“Bullshit, as you so cleverly put it. This is about us! You and me! You need to tell me what you want!”

Hutch had to think about it for a few seconds but he finally put his arm around Starsky’s shoulders and drew him close. “I want us back the way we were a year ago. I want us working together like we used to.”

Starsky nodded. “Before we started playing all those games.”

“Wherever those impulses came from, Starsk, I promised God and myself that, if you came back to me, I’d do everything in my power to be the best partner and friend you could ever want.”

“You always have been, Hutch.”

Hutch shook his head. “I wasn’t for a while. We pulled away from each other and it was probably my fault.”

Starsky quirked his lop-sided grin. “Takes two to tango, pal.”

“Okay.” Hutch shrugged. “We both got pretty good at the damn game. But, while you were lying in that hospital bed, I swore I’d never go down that path again.”

“Sounds like a good vow to me so I’ll join you.” Starsky held out his hand and Hutch grabbed it. “From now on, it’ll be Me and Thee again.”

“We’ll cross the ‘what if’ bridge when we come to it, Starsk, but wherever we go from there, we’ll be together.”

“I like the sound of that, partner.”

END


End file.
